I run an LT40HDG and have accumulated around 8 or 9 broken blades----do you just toss them in the trash or do any of you re-weld or otherwise recycle these blades.
I was going to put them in the dumpster but frugality "kicked in" and I thought I would post here. ;)
Scrap metal. Maybe wait until you have a bunch of other stuff to take, or find a neighbour with a bunch of scrap and throw the blades in.
Tom
I roll mine up and put a zip-tie on them "for safety" and put them in the recycle bin for the trash man to pick up!
I suppose that if you had a recycling center nearby, you could save them until you had a substantial amount of weight and get money for them at the recycling center!
I have heard of some people welding their blades after a break, but usually (not always) there will be other cracks somewhere on the blade.
Chuck
I've tried to have them welded, but found that they break again anyway. They get work hardened and will have cracks or weaknesses all around the band.
I've donate some of them to knife makers and made some knives of my own, but you can just use so many knives.
I fold them over and hit them with a hammer so that they break into pieces about a foot or two long, then store them somewhere in case I get the gumption to take them to a recycle center.
I've buried a lot of them too. I figured that they would deteriorate and put iron in the soil in that particular spot, so why not. A fellow told me that his grape vines weren't doing too good until he buried a bucket of old nails under them. Why not old blades. Might just be an old wives tale, but it got rid of the blades. :D
they make pretty good wood scrapers for finishing wood projects too. How many of those can you need. :-\
I've used them in fabrication when acetylene welding when I had nothing else. You can cover up a lot of stuff with one.
I use mine for rebar in concrete all the time. You can just send them back in a box to Re-sharp and let them worry about them.
I have had only a couple broken blades ,I sent they back to resharp and they were replaced at a 10% discount!
I used one for a shim when fabricating a tensioner for my mill. I needed to make up a little for mis measurement so I cut two little pices off it, and stuck it behind the tensioner frame. It served on the mill as a blade then in the mill as a shim. :)
First check for more cracks,if there are no more than the break was premature.I roll them up into tight circle and heat them with a weed burner,than weld it with my wirefeed,grind it smooth let it cool and use it again.I run an lt15 so my mill never over feeds.The lt15 is very friendly on blades.
I break them into small pieces and haul them off with the scrap. I save a few around for odd projects and barn tools, too.
I hang mine on the back of the tool box in the mill shed. I figure I'll keep them there until one day, they will be antiques and I'll make a mint.
:D
I made a hoe out of a broken blade. I found a dead cedar sapling, cut it to about 5', bent the blade into a u-v shape around the end of the cedar which had a little crook to it and bolted it into place. Makes a really nice hoe for weeding out the garden. Next one I make will be with the teeth up, I'm not sure which will work best- the teeth do seem to pull out the roots pretty well.
Wish I had a picture to show you.
That's a great idea. Maybe I should make some of those to sell with the tomato stakes at the farmers market. :D
We put them in a 55 gal barrel, either coiled or broken up, with the rest of our metal pallet strapping and such, and our recycle guy takes it all away and pays us a little for it...
-N.
Dido wih AKSAWYER. Only one crack weld them up and keep using them. Running a 6" double cut, welding a crack now and then is just part of process. The little 1 1/2" bands weld up quick without the needs of the larger bands, like preheating with a torch. As AK said, wire feed and grind them smooth. Just get the ends butted square or you might need to hammer them a little so they track straight.
I like the hoe idea. good thinking.
When we haul the old bands off for scrap they want them rolled and tied or broke into 2-3' lengths so they are not a hazard. They always pay top dollar for the bands as #1 steel. A year ago that price was 375.00 a ton here. Haven't checked lately. Last I heard scrap #1 was down to 135.00
I started a 55 gal drum of them in 2 ft. lengths. I see mixed iron & steel at 162./ton now for less than truck loads, so it looks to be going back up.
I'm going to try something new with my old blade's.
My sister came to visit last fall, she's one of those real "crafty" girls. She spotted an old broken blade rolled up and laying by the shed, and asked if she could have it. When I said yeah, she asked if I could take my angle grinder and knock the sharp points off the teeth. ???
She decorated it up and took it home as a rustic Christmas reath (actually looked pretty good). She called me a couple of weeks later and asked if I had another broken blade I could send her, she had sold the first one to a friend for $25.00.
I think that's pretty good. Buy a blade for $25, run it till it gives out, knock the points off and decorate it a little, and sell it for $25. My sister just might be a genious. :D
Andy
pictures of the wreath?
Weld them end to end and use it for barb wire fence. :D
Quote from: trapper on June 05, 2009, 01:28:53 PM
pictures of the wreath?
Sorry, I didn't think anything of it untill she said she sold it.
I'll try to remember to get a picture when I (my wife) make one. Hopefully by then I'll be set up to post pictures.
Andy
There sometimes used as a deterant for bears that get a little to nosey, leaning against windows in bush camps, just nail a piece from side to side of the window about 3-4" above window sills...you get the idea..
You can use them to keep a project up off the surface for finishing/spaying it works well just hit the teeth with a file once or twice so they are not sharp enough to bite into the project.I used old band saw blades for the same thing,but the sawmill blade give you better height.Victor
I feed a legnth of it down woodchuck holes let them no good varments handle it,leave a little where you can reach to reset it.Frank C.
I've always bought my HSS metal cutting blade steel in a roll and made my own blades by silver soldering in a jig. But with our woodcutting band saws the length of the blade might be more critical and the loss in squaring up and rewelding could be a problem. I'm not sure about that.
I have made a few utility knoves with mine, but how many can I guy need. I had saved them up in coils for a good long time , then when I build my garage I uncoiled them into the ciment with the rebar. Now I break them up into two foot sections/lenghts and put them in a box, when scrapping out a car they get put in for added weight. I am sure they come back as blades somewheres down down the road :)
Anyone who has older farm buildings and has pigs around knows that it is very hard to keep them from breaking doors or anything else short of a log wall by lifting it with their snout. My father resorted to attaching old crosscut saw blades, and he probably sharpened them first, point down on the bottom of his granary door where the pig food was stored to stop them from breaking the door. I suspect old bandsaw blades would work just as well.
Hello, I am new to this forum. I have lurked around a bit and decided to post. I have always been interested in old sawmills even as a kid at fall festivals watching them cut boards from a tree was memorable. I am not mill owner but I have had the pleasure of helping a friend mill a couple large white pines on my property "up on the mountain" and it was a great day indeed.
The reason I am here, I am a new blacksmith/blade smith (a novice of only a couple years)and have built my own shop here in upstate New York. I am interested in your old blades! I have had the pleasure to work with some old large circular and old large band blades and they are a wonderful steel for the blade smith. So I googled "used sawmill blades" and viola, I am here. I would be interested is some or more of your old used blades. I don't have a lot of money but I can certainly pay something. I can also offer some sort of trade if beginner blacksmithing work is something you may be interested in.
So, if you are willing to part with, sell, trade some of your used blades, let me know and maybe we can work something out. Be sure that they will turn into a barn door hinge or knife or be part of a Damascus billet that is made with care. I can be reached here or at carpetman86(at)yahoo.com
Hello Shag, and welcome to the Forestry Forum! Great to have another NY'r here!
Great bunch of people here. Lots of info too!
Right now I have about 15 1¼ bandsaw blades, broken into 1½ foot lengths in the old recycle bin in my garage.
Thanks for the welcome Chuck! I am in Rensselaer County about 30 minutes east of Albany...I am interested in those blades...hmmm. how close are you from me?
There is someone on ebay making Junk art out of them, They come up if you do a search on ebay for woodmizer.
Sam
Welcome to the Forestry Forum, shag. :)
Thanks for the welcome magicman....sdunston..thanks for the heads up but that is a bit pricey...I was hoping to not pay art prices for scrap...heheheh.I was hoping to get my hands on some nice wide 3-6 inch wide bands. I already have some other 1095 steel paired for it to make some Damascus blanks. I have a good feeling about this site...something will come up here that I can afford and they can post any nice goodies I can make for them...Thanks for your comments so far. Where do most ofyou buy your new blades? is there a specific store that gives good prices? I know the blades are quite expensive for you....
Shag, I think you will find most of the sawyers on here run narrow thin band blades. 1 1/4 1 1/2 wide .035 to .055 thick. Probably the most common would be .045 thick by 1 1/4 wide, fairly soft body with induction hardened teeth. They break all too frequently and usually are just tossed. There are also some guys running circle saw mills, but those blades can usually be re-built.
Quote from: pineywoods on January 27, 2011, 08:29:13 PM
Shag, I think you will find most of the sawyers on here run narrow thin band blades. 1 1/4 1 1/2 wide .035 to .055 thick. Probably the most common would be .045 thick by 1 1/4 wide, fairly soft body with induction hardened teeth. They break all too frequently and usually are just tossed. There are also some guys running circle saw mills, but those blades can usually be re-built.
The 1-2" blades should be fine for what I wanted. Can you tell me if they are mostly Bi-metal? or just carbon steel? The bigger blades that you spoke of , I know can be fixed/welded many times over. At some point do they become trash for you? Forgive my ignorance, I wouldn't ask if I already knew. The bigger blades are like a huge jackpot for me is all.
Quote from: shag on January 27, 2011, 05:50:00 PM
Thanks for the welcome Chuck! I am in Rensselaer County about 30 minutes east of Albany...I am interested in those blades...hmmm. how close are you from me?
Shag;
I'm pretty-much "dead center" of St Lawrence County.
I don't know if USPS has "flat-rate" boxes that the blades would fit in or not, that would make it easy.
I usually go through 10-15 blades per year!
They
do end up as junk, for me anyway.
Chuck, I need to go to the post office anyway..I'll take a look..Thanks!
Chuck, Here is a link to the USPS flat rate box types.....take a look but it does not look like they have anything that you can fill up with bladed cut in 18 inches or more....take a look and let me know.....No worries if it is something you can't do. Hell, you don't even know me, so I can't ask you to go that far outta your way....anywho, take a look and let me know.
https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10052&categoryId=10000036&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10000002&top=&sort=&viewAll=Y
I made a rig to clean creasoat out of my8x12 flue liner,a loose fitting piece of steel plate with saw pieces welded around the edges.Attached to a pole ran it up and down chiminey, scrapes stubborn creasoat and it falls through the gullets to the cleanout door below.Frank C.
now that is interesting...
I probable have a pickup load or so of the 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 X.055 blades if a pile that I keep saying I am going to haul to the recycle place and see if I can get some extra coin for it. You are welcome to them if they would help but it might be a little far to drive. ;D
Shag, I drive up to Lake Champlain from Connecticut several times a year and if going through close to you could meet you on the road when I have old blades. They would be 1-1/4" Wood-mizer 9 and 10 degree ones. Don't have any now but probably will have half a dozen or so by summer. We take the Mass pike into NY then up 787 to connect to 87 North at exit 7 above the airport. send me a pm if you want me to save them for you no rush.
Shag;
If you're interested in making a knife from a broken blade for the forum, I'm sure someone will supply the wood for the handle, I'll make the case and Jeff can auction it off.
customsawyer, that is generous of you...I may surprise you some time next yeay and ask if the pile is still there. A member of my blacksmithing site the owner actually is from you way and we may just have a hammer in or 2 down that way.....:)
terrifictimbersllc ...Small world, I grew up in Salem Connecticut....I lived there 30 years.I was the mayor of Ocean Beach in New London (I thought I was) back in the 80s-90s...lol...wow I miss the shore. I moved up here about 10 years ago. I get of the mass pike on exit 3 is the best way to get to me but I can meet you. you zoom right past exit 3 to get to 787....
Kevin, I have a lot of irons in the fire right now so to speak But I would be happy to do that when it gets a bit more habitable out in the smithy this spring. it would certainly be rude of me to pop in and ask for something and not be willing to offer somethingf back now woud it....just remind me and I will do it...deal? maybe one of you wood peckers could come up with a chunk of Burl for the handle..I might have a piece of steel cable left to make a nice cable Damascus chopper for the cause....I DO want to say...WOW, There is a ton of stuff here to read and learn...zowee..not to mention who ever codes this site rocks the Casba too.
Can we have the log gnawers come up with some burl for the cause? ;D
Shag,
If you are interested I could get you some treated spring steel. The plant I uses to work at generates alot of scrap , I could get some for you. It is somewhere between 1 to 3" wide but it is only about .075 thick the best I can remember. We have made some filet knifes out of it before that worked great. Only had to give it some shape an a edge.
B Dukes, I would be interested if it is no trouble....One of the main things I am looking to do is make some pattern welded steel (i.e Damascus). This takes layers of carbon steel (spring steel is high carbon) and a lower carbon steel with 2% or so of nickle in it (band saw blades) You put them together and with the magic of the forge they come together as Damascus steel...great for a lot of things. If you have never seen Damascus steel once it is etched with acid...do a google for "Damascus steel" and look at some of it...it can be beautiful. so yes, if it is not a problem for you to get some of the steel PM me and I can send you the postage or what ever we work out...thanks for posting!!
I just wanted to publicly thanks Chuck for helping me out, a new person to this forum and and certainly happy to be a member here. I will try to post what I make as soon as the blades arrive and I get out to the smith and get fired up....burrrr it's cold still....brrrr